Seasonal Stories: Just What We Needed
A Quick but Restorative Mid-August Trip to the Ottawa National Forest
Seasonal Stories is a new feature I’m starting where I share reflections about being outdoors and exploring the northern Great Lakes. Sometimes these posts will mainly be trip reports (like today) and other times they may be longer and interweave history and/or memoir (like my post on the Blowdown in July of 1999).
Sometimes a camping trip is about some getting to explore something new or having an exciting itinerary. Sometimes it is about wanting to pause and get away.
Similarly, sometimes a place isn’t about striking, dramatic views. Sometimes there’s just a sense of peace or tranquility or some sense of grounding that moves you. That’s how I feel about the Ottawa National Forest in the western Upper Peninsula.
Don’t get me wrong—there are striking parts of the forest. For example, one of the first areas I became familiar with after moving to northwestern Wisconsin were the waterfalls along the Black River Scenic Byway in the western part of the forest. I can’t remember when exactly we began driving some of the national forest roads in the interior of the forest. But the more we began to explore them, the more I was drawn to them.
Our first time camping in the Ottawa National Forest was at Golden Lake, near Iron River, Michigan in 2020. We were heading back from a whitewater kayaking 1-day clinic near Crivitz, Wisconsin. We spent two nights camping at Ada Lake in the Nicolet National Forest. We had flexibility in our schedule and decided to camp somewhere in the Ottawa National Forest on the way home if we found a site we liked. When we pulled into Golden Lake, we loved the big, roomy sites, and quickly decided to spend the night.
The UP was really busy during the peak COVID years, and we realized some of these rustic campgrounds on inland lakes were quieter than some dispersed camping spots on Lake Superior. Since then we’ve regularly returned to explore more parts of the Ottawa National Forest. Last summer, I did a one night solo trip to Marion Lake near Watersmeet. I loved it. At some point, I’ll write more about the forest’s history, but today is not that day.
There’s something about the Ottawa National Forest that is so peaceful to me.
This spring I bought a Kevlar canoe from a work colleague. And I booked a 3 night-trip to Sylvania Wilderness for mid-August. In the moment, it seemed like a lot of time to prepare. Then the summer went by quicker then expected. And Eugene and I realized we’d need to make a few changes to the canoe to make it work better for us. And the trip was right around the corner. And we hadn’t done any trips this year with our hammocks (our light weight, easily packable gear). Realistically, we decided trying to rush through and do our first overnight canoe trip would be stressful. We’d likely get through it, and we may even end up with some really good stories. But it wouldn’t be relaxing. And we both wanted a more relaxing trip. So we decided to change our plans and head to Marion Lake to camp and do at least one canoe day trip.
We arrived on a Thursday in mid-August and had a choice of several lovely, spacious sites with lake views. We chose one and made use of all the space to create a really premium layout.
The view of the lake from our campsite.
Then, made a delicious meal of Philly cheesesteaks for dinner—cooked over our Solostove—while watching a beautiful sunset.
Our campsite at Marion Lake (taken from the lakeshore).
The next day we woke up, had peanut butter and banana tortilla wraps for breakfast, and decided to make a plan. It was gusty, but it was also hot with highs in the low 90s. We decided to head to the nearby Sylvania Wilderness Area and try paddling Crooked Lake, since the launch area seemed more protected than Clark Lake.
Quick tip if you are heading to Sylvania for a day trip: while the accept cash, they cannot give change on site. So either bring the exact amount to pay or bring a check.
Paddling through Crooked Lake.
The launch area was busy, and we took our time organizing our gear while waiting to launch. We set off and had a lovely paddle. We saw several loons and visited two campsites where we saw some amazing old growth cedar, hemlock, and birch. I think the birch were the biggest I’ve ever seen! Getting to explore the sites gave us some good, on the ground input for planning a future trip. If all goes according to plan, we’ll return for an overnight next year!
One of the biggest birch trees I’ve ever seen at Crooked Lake.
It was mid-afternoon when we wrapped up. It was hot and we decided we wanted and easy afternoon, so we drove to Iron River (Michigan) to visit a Contrast Coffee. Eugene got his favorite hot maple latte (which he gets no matter how hot it is outside!), and I got one of their specials (a frozen chocolate, banana, and espresso smoothie). Then we headed to an antique store across the street. We both had a fun time wandering through the multiple levels. Eugene found a hat, I found a few books, and we found a few random items, like a Jose Cuervo flag from a mid-1990s advertising campaign.
Just me, hugging a big hemlock at Crooked Lake.
As we were checking out, the owner asked where we were from. I was at the counter and Eugene was looking at nearby shelves. He grabbed a small glass trinket axe and says, “We’re from here!” And sure enough, on the axe it says “Bayfield, Wisconsin.” I’m usually not a fan of knickknacks but we had to get it! It was like finding a needle in a haystack. The owner was very amused by the find!
Back at the campsite, we got the fire going and relaxed while having some beers. Then we cooked a dinner of steak, potatoes, and salad. There was another lovely sunset.
Getting a good coal base in the Solostove before cooking our dinner on it.
Eugene fell asleep quickly, but as I laid in bed I heard one of the most amazing back-and-forth calls of loons that I’ve ever heard! I’ve heard many loons while camping, but this was a very lively, long conversation. It was amazing to listen to. It was a mix of lively tremolos, haunting wails, and multi-range yodels. The sounds were beautiful. But I could also imagine how the sudden burst of calls out of the calm, quiet night could be disconcerting if you were a newcomer in this land and unfamiliar with the environment.
A lovely sunset from our site.
Marion Lake is near the Lac Vieux Desert (the headwaters of the Wisconsin River) and L’Anse (at the base of Keweenaw Bay on Lake Superior) trail. This was a trail Anishinaabe peoples used for generations. When French Jesuit priests and fur traders arrived in the late seventeenth-century, they also began using the trail with Anishinaabe people acting as guides, since they were familiar with the landscape and knew how to navigate the water paths and foot trails. They were also familiar with the sonic landscape in the dark nights, including the calls of loons. The French were new to the region and unfamiliar with most of it: the landscape, the smells, the sounds, what signaled danger and what could be ignored. I wondered if any of these newcomers lay awake, perplexed, disturbed, or even haunted by their unfamiliarity with sounds of these amazing diving waterbirds.
After being serenaded by the loons, I had a wonderful sleep. Sometimes I just sleep okay while camping, but other times, I’m able to have really amazing, deep sleeps. I haven’t been able to predict what makes the difference yet. I know a few things that can factor in, but I haven’t exactly nailed it down.
A view of our campsite in the evening.
We woke up and it was cloudy and significantly cooler. We decided to check the radar on our phones. We saw a significant low pressure system headed our way. We predicted it would start raining early afternoon and would continue till early evening. We considered having a quiet day with a lot of Uno games in the tent, but we decided to pack up and head home early and have a day at home to relax before starting work.
Our timing worked out great. We packed up at a leisurely pace. Then, we took a short walk on a trail that connected our loop of the campground with the beach area and group campsite. On our back, it started to lightly rain. We got on the road, and about fifteen minutes later, it started to pour.
A cedar along the shore of Crooked Lake.
We drove through the rain with a stop at the Ironwood Contrast Coffee to fuel up for the remainder of the drive. We made it back to Chequamegon Bay late in the afternoon and it was clearing up and the sun was coming out.
It’s always a hard call to decide to end a trip early, but we both felt we made the right call. It was a short trip, but a great trip. And as Eugene said, “It’s close so we can go back anytime.” Yep, that’s one of many things I love about the Ottawa National Forest. It’s peaceful, tranquil, scenic, and a very easy drive for us. That’s why I know we’ll keep returning year after year.
Have questions about our trip or the Ottawa National Forest? Do you have a favorite nearby national forest that’s your go-to for a quick get away? Let me know below!